Susitna Brewing Co. — Restaurant in Alaska

TL,DR; Wrong food three times, wrong beer, long wait times, no apology, nobody cared. Won't be back.

We stopped off after a long day of traveling to get some food. Service was slow, but that's kind of expected on a friday night when the parking lot is full. We were seated upstairs and had a beautiful view of the lake.

The issues started when I ordered a flight. I ordered the Amber, Hefe, Marzen, and the Blueberry Blonde. When the flight arrived a short while later, I was brought the blood orange blonde instead. The server had walked away before I could ask so I had to wait about ten minutes until he circled back around to ask why I was brought something different then I ordered. He asked the bartender, and apparently they had run out of the Blueberry, but neglected to tell me or ask if I wanted anything different. So I asked if I could get something else and he brought me a half a taster of the same beer I didn't want/order. Annoying, but it didn't ruin the night.

My wife ordered the Patty melt, and I ordered a pizza. About half an hour after ordering, our food came out. The server treated us again to the "drop and run" approach of waiting. The wife's order came as asked, and i was handed a completely wrong pizza. After waiting another ten minutes or so, we were able to flag down a waiter and tell them we were given the wrong pizza. To her credit, she was very apologetic and everytime we interacted with her she was on the spot.

So we waited for the pizza to get corrected. In that time my wife finished her food and we were brought somebody else's wings, thankfully we were able to tell the waitstaff it wasn't ours that time. Twenty to thirty mins later, another pizza arrived. This one was even more wrong than the first. We felt bad because the waitress who brought it wasn't even on our table and we could tell she was embarrassed. So almost a full hour after my wife's food arrived I finally got my pizza. And to the credit of the kitchen, the food was great and fresh. I just wish I didn't have to eat so much later than my wife. After a couple pieces, I was able to ask for a to go box and our evening came to an end.

The part that really made this frustrating, was that our waiter really didn't seem to care, nor did management. Nobody ever came over to us and apologized for the embarrassing experience the night had been. I mean, i dont expect to get food comped or something, but any acknowledgement would have been better than what we got. The most we got was a half-hearted sorry from our disinterested waiter, and embarrassed waitress who wasn't responsible for our table. We're probably not going to be back in the future, which is a shame because I love breweries, and the location is...

UPDATE

Visited the brewery twice now since they have fully opened and started serving their own beers.

Can confirm that all the pros listed below are still on par. Additionally, they are serving their own beers and have a variety of good basic styles on tap, in addition to a full bar selection of alcohol. Much improved atmosphere, and service in the newly opened part of the building. I've been spreading the word for valley folk to stop in and check out the newest MatSu valley Brewery.

Shout out to brewer Ernie! Good job, looking forward to some specialty, barrels brews!

Pros- Great view, one of the top three establishment views in the valley. Good food with a full and varied menu. Some local beers on tap, with a decent drink menu.

Cons- Named Sustina brewing- but still don't have their own beer, (not even brewing yet). This is coming from a beer lover and home brewer... so this is a big con for me. They are at this time- a brew pub, not a brewery. Feels like they are using the popularity of legitimate breweries as a marketing ploy. Harsh, maybe...but an honest assessment. All the legitimate, craft breweries I have been to in the states, and abroad, have started, and established their reputation with their beer- first. Hence the term brewery. Service is average at best, not as good as the food or view. It is very loud when busy - and I'm near deaf, so it is pretty loud. The noise level was confirmed by my dinner company.

Conclusion- Has the potential to be an outstanding brewery/ restaurant. A few things need to happen for this to come to fruition. Recruit an established, and well rounded brewer. This can make or break a brewery. Finish the brewery, and start producing their own beer to serve and to go. Open a tasting room. Hire and train people who actually want to work and excel in hospitality. A server/ greeter can make or break a positive experience. Some of the current servers seem uninspired to be at work- and it comes out in their service. Unfortunately, this seems to be the biggest contemporary hurdle for many establishments.

Best of luck to Sustina brewing, I'll be back when they are proudly brewing, and serving...

I recently visited Susitna Brewing in Big Lake, Alaska and was thoroughly impressed with the experience. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted with a warm and inviting atmosphere. The decor has a rustic charm to it and there was a pleasant aroma of brewing beer in the air.

The menu at Susitna Brewing offers a wide variety of options with something for everyone. Their burgers are juicy and cooked just right, with several topping options to choose from. The wings are also delicious and come with a variety of sauces. But my personal favorite was the fried cheese curds; they were crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, making for the perfect appetizer.

What impressed me the most was the selection of beers available. Susitna Brewing offers their own house-made beer as well as other local breweries. The beer was fresh and flavorful, with a variety of styles to choose from. They also have a full bar and a great selection of cocktails, so everyone can find something to sip on.

On Tuesdays, Susitna Brewing hosts trivia night which is a fun and unique experience with a variety of questions for everyone. And on the weekends, they offer live music which really adds to the overall atmosphere of the restaurant.

Lastly, I have to mention the staff who were incredibly friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about the menu offerings. They made me feel welcomed and truly made my dining experience an enjoyable one.

In summary, Susitna Brewing is a must-visit restaurant when in Big Lake, Alaska. With delicious food, fresh and flavorful beer, exciting events, and amazing staff, this place has it all. I highly recommend...